Scientists are studying Kakadu National Park ants to build a picture of what the Ranger uranium mine site should become once rehabilitation work is completed.

November 25, 2020

An army of ants is set to help rehabilitation efforts at the Northern Territory’s controversial Ranger uranium mine site.

The mine – which is surrounded by Kakadu National Park about 230 km east of Darwin – will cease operations later this year.

Scientists have been studying the park’s ants in a bid to build a biodiversity blueprint of what the site should look like once it’s restored.

Ecologist Alan Andersen says it makes sense to use ants as indicators of success during the rehabilitation of the open-cut mine.

They not only play an important ecological role but they are the most abundant animals in the world heritage listed park.

“Ants promote mine-site rehabilitation by enhancing soil formation and nutrient cycling,” said Professor Andersen from Charles Darwin University.

“If ants are in good shape then this indicates a healthy ecosystem.”

Researchers have also been gathering data on the vertebrate animals that inhabit Kakadu, with 50 reptiles, birds and mammals identified as suitable candidates to reinhabit the mine.

“It means that we’ve got really solid data … about the biodiversity in the woodlands surrounding the mine,” NT environment department biologist Alaric Fisher said.

The information will be used to ensure a natural ecosystem develops at the mine.

Ranger started producing uranium oxide using an acid leach extraction method in 1981.

Mining stopped in 2012 at the site, which is operated by Energy Resources of Australia, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto.

But the processing of stockpiled ore was allowed to continue until 2021 when that too must stop.

Decommissioning and rehabilitation works are scheduled to be completed by 2026.

ERA has previously estimated it will cost $507 million to clean up and rehabilitate the site, which must be reintegrated into the surrounding national park.

The mine site was plagued by environmental problems during its four decades of operation with more than 100 incidents recorded, including a massive 2013 spill of a million litres of radioactive slurry.